Gun rack



y 1930. w. J. SPRCIJWLE 1, I I r In GUN RACK Filed June 24, 1929 /f 4mwvor.

Ziqwm 7 aorowze Patented May 6, 1930 WILLIAM J. srnownn, or Bunsen, newHAMPSHIRE GUN RACK Application filed. June 24,

This invention relates to racks for securely holding in uprightpositions articles that are desired for occasional use, and the objectof my invention is to provide a rack for 5 holding a series of machineguns all of which may be securely locked in the rack, such racks beingespecially useful in armories.

With such object in View, my invention consists in the construction andcombination of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings which illustrate one of the preferredembodiments of the invention Figure 1 is a plan view of the rack.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, and

Figure 3 represents a section on line 38 of Figure 2.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts or features in allof the views.

Rigidly supported by a base 12 is a post or standard 13 having annularcollars or shoulders 1 1 which firmly'and non-rotatably support threehorizontal shelves or disks 15, 16, 17, of which the lower one, 15, isthe largest and has marginal recesses or notches 18, the upper one, 17,is smaller and has marginal recesses or notches 19, and the intermediateone, 16, is quite small and has arms 20 at the outer ends of which areeyes or sleeves 21 for a circular ring 22 carrying hook members,

23. For a reason presently explained, the diameter of the ring 22 isless than that of the lower disk 15, and somewhat greater than that ofthe upper disk 17 when consideringthe diameter of the latter as thatfrom the bottom or inner edge of one notch19 across to the bottom orinner edge of an opposite notch 19.

Pivoted at 24 to the disk 16 is a lever 25, said lever extending overthe ring 22 and having a slot 26 through'which a pin or screw 27 extendsfrom the ring 22. The lever has a handle 28 and a lug 29, and one of thearms 20 has a lug 30. The two lugs 29, 30,have

holes 83 through which the hasp of a padlock may be passed. The marginsof the recesses or notches 19 are preferably cush- -o ioned as indicatedat 32 in Figure 1. Strips 1929. serial No. 373,210.

ofleather secured to the margins of said notches provide v suitablecushions.

The marginal portions of the lower disk at the side ends of the notches18 are upturned to form lugs 31 whichserve a purpose presentlyexplained.

around far enough so that the hook members 23 extend'across the outersides of said articles. Such shifting of the ring 22 brings'the two lugs29, 80, close together,and a pad-lock may be employed to lock the lugsin that positionand effectively prevent either of the articles frombeing removed. Y

My improved rack however is especially intended for supporting machineguns of the Browning type, and for locking them in the rack whenoccasion renders such locking desirable. As is, well-known, armoriesarernot always so well guarded as to certainly prevent would-be thievesfrom gaining access thereto. The mounting of such guns in my improvedrack, whereby unauthorized removal of one or more of them from the rackis. practically impossible, will now be explained. 1 V

Machine guns when in use are usually supported'on tripods, but areseparated from the tripods when not in use. Each Browning machine gunhasa certain aperture which is known asthe adapter mount, and has anotherpart known as the elevating bracket.

Such guns when placed in my improved rack,

have their elevating brackets fitted to the.

recesses of the lowerdisk and portions of said brackets extend onto theprojections at the ends of the recesses and behind the lugs 31,

and the guns are leaned back into the recesses 9;

of the upper disk, the series of guns then being in positions leaningtoward a common center where they will readily remain withoutrhaving anyportion thereof resting on the floor. In other words, the lower disksupports the guns clear of the floor and all tendin engagementwitharticles resting in the reing to remain in such positions withoutslipcesses of the disks.

ping out of the disk recesses. To aid in hold- In testimony whereof Ihave aflixed my siging the guns accurately, the ring 22 is shiftednature. to cause the hook members 23 to enter the WILLIAM J. SPROWLE. 7O

adapter mount apertures of the guns, and then, if it is desired toreliably lock the guns in the rack it is only necessary to employ apad-lock with its hasp in the holes-33 of the l p lugs 29, 30. Themarginal recesses of the up- 7 per and lower disks provide sockets inwhich the guns rest, whilethe intermediate member consisting of the ringand its hooks provides means for so engaging the guns that are e 15mounted in the sockets that unauthorized rer moval of any of the guns ispractically impossible.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A-rack of the character described, hava v ing an upper series ofstationary sockets and a corresponding lower series of stationarysockets, and an intermediate rotatable member having means thereonetoengage articles 25 mounted in said sockets when? said member isrotatedin one direction.

2. A rack of the character described, having an upper series ofstationary sockets'and a corresponding lower series of stationary v I sosockets, and an intermediate rotatable memher having means thereon toengage articles mounted in said sockets when said member is rotated inone direction, said rotatable memher having means whereby it may belocked 5in article-engaging position. r V I 3. Ina rack of-the characterdescribed, the combination with an upright having upper and lower disksfixed thereto,said disks having marginal recesses, of a laterallyshitftable I 40 ring supported by said upright intermediate the upperand lower disks, said ring having laterally extending prongs positionedto shiftably engagearticles resting in the recesses oi the disks.

45 i 4. In a rack of the character described, the r 1 7 V combinationwith an upright having upper and lower marginal recessed disks *fixedthereto, of an intermediate disk also fixed to the upright and having acircular series of bearings, a ring mounted in said bearings and havinglaterally extending prongs, and means for locking said ring in positionwith its prongs engaging articles resting in the recesses of'the disks.I

v5 In a rack of thecharacter described, the combination with an uprighthaving upper and lower marginally recessed disks fixed thereto, thelower disk being larger than the 60 upper disk and having upright lugsat the 12.3

ends of its recesses, of an intermediate'circular series'of hook-shapedmembers supported by the upright and rotatable relatively to the disks,means being provided for locking said 65 seriesof hooked-shaped membersin positions v r

